Index: lib/net/http.rb
===================================================================
--- lib/net/http.rb	(revision 61763)
+++ lib/net/http.rb	(working copy)
@@ -1451,12 +1451,7 @@
     # This method never raises Net::* exceptions.
     #
     def request(req, body = nil, &block)  # :yield: +response+
-      unless started?
-        start {
-          req['connection'] ||= 'close'
-          return request(req, body, &block)
-        }
-      end
+      start unless started?
       if proxy_user()
         req.proxy_basic_auth proxy_user(), proxy_pass() unless use_ssl?
       end
Index: test/net/http/test_http.rb
===================================================================
--- test/net/http/test_http.rb	(revision 61763)
+++ test/net/http/test_http.rb	(working copy)
@@ -1037,6 +1037,22 @@
 
   include TestNetHTTPUtils
 
+  def test_keep_alive_using_new
+    http = new
+    http.keep_alive_timeout = 1
+
+    res = http.get('/')
+    assert_kind_of Net::HTTPResponse, res
+    assert_kind_of String, res.body
+
+    socket = http.instance_variable_get(:@socket)
+    refute(socket.closed?, 'Expected socket to be kept open')
+
+    res = http.get('/')
+    assert_kind_of Net::HTTPResponse, res
+    assert_kind_of String, res.body
+  end
+
   def test_keep_alive_get_auto_reconnect
     start {|http|
       res = http.get('/')